North Star State Lights Way for GOP

Republicans have their compasses set toward the North Star State, where they will be convening next week for their national convention. Although Minnesota residents haven’t favored a Republican president since 1972, the last two presidential elections have been close, and John McCain and Barack Obama are neck-and-neck in fundraising from the state (Obama has raised a mere $233,000 more, out of $3.7 million raised by the two contenders), indicating that McCain might not have as much to overcome here as previous Republicans have.

The metro area that has contributed the most money to all federal candidates and committees so far this election cycle is Minneapolis-St. Paul, where the GOP convention is set to take place. Minneapolis-St. Paul has given $18.9 million, while the next largest contributing metro area, Rochester, has given $477,400 total. So far McCain has raised more than Obama in three of the state’s seven major metro areas (Duluth-Superior, Fargo-Moorhead and St. Cloud). In the 2004 election cycle, however, President Bush raised more for his re-election campaign than John Kerry in all but one of the major metro areas (Duluth-Superior). Bush also raised more than Kerry statewide–$2.5 million compared to $2.3 million and Kerry still eked by with 51 percent of the vote.

Minnesota is the birthplace of Scotch Tape, Target and Betty Crocker, according to the Almanac of American Politics, so it is no surprise that Target, Scotch Tape creator 3M Co. and Betty Crocker’s producer, General Mills, are among the largest political contributors in the state (these company’s employees and PACs have given candidates and committees $342,100, $157,900 and $100,400, respectively, in the 2008 cycle). The University of Minnesota, with campuses around the state, is also among the top givers, with employees contributing $213,600 so far this cycle.

The state’s number-one contributor this election cycle, however, is American Crystal Sugar Company, a sugar-beet cooperative owned by about 3,000 growers in Minnesota and North Dakota. The sugar beet industry produces more than $2 billion per year for Minnesota, according to Sen. Norm Coleman’s (R-Minn.) website, and had a vested interest in the outcome of this year’s Farm Bill. Overall, agriculture is responsible for at least 367,000 jobs in the state. The crop production and basic processing industry was the third-largest industry in the state to give to federal lawmakers and committees ($1.7 million), behind retirees ($3.5 million) and lawyers and law firms ($1.9 million).

McCain certainly stands a chance in Minnesota, but next week the Republicans will find themselves in a state that is decreasingly giving money to the GOP. In the 2004 election cycle, 58 percent of the state’s total went to Republican candidates and committees. This election cycle that number is down to 49 percent. The state is ranked 20th among all states in political contributions this cycle.

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